


Four Years On

by Cerdic519



Series: The New Anglo-Saxon Chronicles [2]
Category: Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - 9th century, Anglo-Saxon, Cuddling & Snuggling, Destiel - Freeform, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 17:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5594161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired to add an epilogue, in thanks for a stalwart supporter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Years On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tisha_Wyman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tisha_Wyman/gifts).



Monday 20th September, 829 A.D.  
Wilton, south Wiltshire, Kingdom of Wessex

Dean moaned as he staggered in from the toilet. His brother sniggered unsympathetically.

“I hate being an omega!” Dean groused. “I hate being pregnant! I hate morning sickness that lasts nine damned months! And I hate that I can't even keep pie down!”

“You can't hate it that much”, Sam pointed out. “Not when you're cooking bun number four in your oven.”

“Possibly four and five”, Dean grumbled. “Pam called round the day before yesterday, and she was right about the first three.”

“Still no news from the north?” Sam asked. His brother shook his head.

“The king's marching on the Northumbrian border”, he said. “He won't invade; there's no way we could hold a kingdom that size. But the Mercians are down for now, and that's what matters.”

Sam nodded. After the great victory at Ellandun four years ago, at which his brother had found his alpha mate, Wessex had grown steadily stronger at the expense of its northern neighbour. The satellite states of Sussex, Kent, Essex and East Anglia had broken away from the Mercian grip, which meant that in terms of manpower the southern state was for the first time in decades the strongest power in England. Distant Northumbria, stretching up to the second Roman wall, was a force to be reckoned with, but shared with Wessex a dislike of their Midlands neighbour. A pointed show of force, a few polite words acknowledging Wessex's supremacy, and they could all move on.

“Have you heard anything?” Dean asked. Sam worked as a clerk for the Church and lived in a cottage owned by them, just down the road from his brother. He often heard gossip before Dean.

“Just like you, the advance north”, Sam said. “I suppose....”

Quite what Sam Winchester supposed would never be known, for at that moment Dean's steward Garth burst into the room, almost falling over his feet in his eagerness. Dean sighed.

“The chickens haven't got out again, have they?” he asked wearily. He almost hoped that they had; the sight last summer of Garth running round the yard chasing those damn birds had been so funny that it had caused Dean's waters to break, bringing little Mary into the world a week early. Thankfully just before Castiel had had to leave.

“No!” Garth panted. “Jet in town told me, and I ran all the way here. The guard at the north gate have seen a Dragon banner approaching.”

+~+~+

Castiel had left King Egbert's service following the great victory at Ellandun, and been granted the title Thane of Sarum. He and Dean had lived happily together for three years, adding an alpha (Egbert), an omega (Æthelstan) and a daughter (Deanna) to their family. However, last year the king had specifically requested (Dean had used the term 'begged', and no amount of sex had been able to change his mind on that, though he was happy to let his husband try) for his former warrior to serve on his campaign against the Mercians, and eventually Castiel had agreed, with the proviso that he be allowed to spend Christmas with Dean.

It had been a very festive season, even if Dean had spent most of the nine months after paying for it.

And now Castiel was done. The expedition against the northern states had gone better than anyone had hoped; Mercia was subdued and her king forced into exile (temporary but embarrassing, Castiel guessed), and Northumbria had seen sense and acknowledged the West Saxon supremacy. The scribes were probably stretching it a bit to call Egbert the new bretwalda, but that was history for you.

Not that Castiel cared a whit for history. The king had summoned him to his tent at Dore, barely moments after the Northumbrians had left, and dismissed him, saying that he knew the young alpha wanted to get home. And Castiel wanted that so badly, especially with his mate due any day now. He even arranged for Castiel's squire Alfred to return with the main body, so the alpha could travel faster.

He rode alone through the hills of Derbyshire, taking a poor quality road south to Derraby, near where he could pick up the old Roman road system. That would take him all the way home, the better quality of the old Empire builders' legacy making up for the fact he would have to swing out further west before making his way back to Wilton and his home. And Dean.

The weather was cold and drizzling, and seemed to match the mostly empty countryside through which he passed. Apart from the towns, which were small enough, it was mostly forest, heathland and waste. He travelled on through Burton to Lece, where he sought accommodation in the cathedral close. He did not want to push his poor horse on into the night, desperate as he was to see his mate.

Though the countryside grew gentler as he cut across Warwickshire and into Worcestershire, it was still almost eerily empty. The tiny village of Bermingham seemed like another world, and Castiel could well understand why, although geographically Mercia was about twice the size of Wessex, it had relatively fewer fighting men. 

On through more empty land and a little place called Alvivachurch before he reached his second stop, the abbey at Evesham. Still in Mercian territory for now, but the Church rightly held itself above earthly concerns, and he was glad to have a comfortable bed and someone to care for his horse.

He woke early the next day, and after making a donation for his lodgings, stopped in the abbey for a quick prayer. Tonight, he would be in his mate's arms. He shuddered at the thoughts that were far from holy.

Wicecomb and its own great abbey, and then wonderful Cirecester – wonderful because it was the last town before the Wessex border. A few miles beyond and he splashed across the river, small and feeble here near its source, before heading south ever faster. Crecklade, Sundon, past the site of Ellandun, Merlinsborough where the king had made him a thane, then the wide expanses of the Plain, one of the few areas of Wessex to be as empty as Mercia. And then into Ambersbury, only ten miles from Dean.

He was so close. Better let them know he was coming.

+~+~+

Dean walked slowly outside, swatting at his brother but secretly glad of his helping hand. Having all that extra weight front and centre made him feel unbalanced. 

There was the sound of chatter from the town, which Dean's house lay at the western edge of. And then, riding down the street came Cas.

He was not alone. Dean's eyes narrowed.

The alpha rode up quickly to the brothers and leaped off his horse. Instead of immediately embracing his mate however, he helped down the lady who had been riding behind him. She looked knowingly at the omega.

Dean felt his world sway....

+~+~+

The omega came to slowly, feeling oddly happy. Oh yeah. He had the alpha with the Magic Dick home again. They'd have to have sex some time, once Dean could work out complicated things like how to stand up.

Castiel took his hand and smiled.

“You did do well, my love”, he smiled. “An alpha and a daughter. You lost quite a bit of blood, but Pam says you will be fine.”

Dean nodded dimly. He felt his high fading, almost sad that his pregnancy was over. And now he had five kids to look after. What if.....?

Clearly the alpha had been taking psychic lessons from the local doctor, because he took Dean's hand and kissed it lightly.

“Never again!” he said fervently. “I have more than served my time for the king. I am going to stay at home and help you raise our wonderful children.”

Dean nodded. He felt better now, the world returning to normal. Heck, he might even attempt sitting up.....

Ah. Apparently he might not.

From the next room, he heard the sound of a baby testing its lungs out. He made to get up again, but his husband easily held him down.

“Sam is enjoying looking after them for a bit”, he grinned. “You and I are just going to sit here and cuddle.”

“Don't cuddle!” Dean said defensively.

The alpha just looked at him.

“Shut up!”

Castiel threw back his head and laughed, then eased his mate into a.... close embrace. Yes, definitely a close embrace. A very manly one at that.

**Author's Note:**

> 1) 'the second wall' was the Antonine Wall, erected across the narrow Forth-Clyde line (i.e. just north of modern Glasgow and Edinburgh). The lands between it and the more famous Hadrian's Wall were of fair quality, but the Romans had never held them securely, and Emperor Antoninus' building efforts were abandoned after only a few decades in the second century A.D.  
> 2) 'bretwalda', literally ruler of the Britons. A weak overlordship held by the dominant Anglo-Saxon state, which avoided some confrontations between them and allowed them to summon their rivals (and enemies) to assist them in their conquest of the Celts.  
> 3) Castiel's journey took him through Derby, Burton-on-Trent, Lichfield, Birmingham (a city of over a million today!), Alvechurch, Evesham, Winchcombe, Cirencester, Cricklade, Swindon, Marlborough and Amersbury.  
> 4) Strangers were often feared, even in towns, so Castiel's use of the banner was wise.


End file.
